Guard Rail Base Insert for Stable, Low-Cost Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing guard rail bases are difficult to position, prone to displacement, and costly to fabricate, making them undesirable for perimeter installations such as roofs.
Innovation Solution
A novel guard rail base design featuring a plate with tubes and handles, anchored to a form during concrete pouring, allowing easy handling and secure placement with a transporter, and incorporating a drainage system for panels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional bases are used for guard rails, then they can provide basic support function, but they are difficult to position and relatively easy to be pushed when fixed to panels
Solution Approach 1:
The base is divided into two main parts: a removable insert containing positioning features and a permanent concrete base. The insert includes a plate with tubes that can be easily positioned and removed, while the concrete base provides stable anchoring. This segmentation allows easy positioning during installation while maintaining reliability in the final fixed structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert acts as an intermediary component between the temporary positioning stage and the permanent concrete base. It provides positioning features during installation and is later removed after the concrete hardens, leaving a clean base with embedded positioning capabilities. This intermediary solves the contradiction by providing ease of operation during installation without compromising final stability.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional bases are used for guard rails, then they can provide basic support function, but they are relatively expensive to fabricate
Solution Approach 1:
The base structure is segmented into a reusable insert and a single-pour concrete base. The insert can be manufactured separately using simpler, less expensive materials and processes, then reused across multiple installations. This reduces fabrication costs while maintaining structural stability through the concrete embedding.
Solution Approach 2:
The insert serves multiple functions: it provides positioning features, acts as a mold for the concrete base, and can be reused across multiple installations. This multi-functionality reduces overall fabrication costs while ensuring reliable structural performance through consistent positioning and proper concrete anchoring.
3Ease of manufacture
If the base structure is simplified to reduce cost, then fabrication cost decreases, but positioning difficulty and displacement risk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The positioning features (tubes, plates) are pre-installed in the insert before the concrete is poured. This preliminary action ensures accurate positioning is achieved during the installation phase without requiring complex adjustments later, while the overall structure remains cost-effective through the simple concrete pour and removable insert design.
Data Source
AI summary
The top surface of an insert abuts with a form, with a tube extending into an aperture and sliding on a form post in the form. A rod inserted through the form, form post and tube holds the insert in place while castable material is poured in. The form is inverted with the guard rail base inside, the rod can be slid out of the form, and the form is removed. The handle is gripped by a claw on the obtuse angled chassis of a transporter. A handle on the chassis can be pushed to raise the guard rail base and to move the guard rail base on the surface by wheels. The guard rail base can be placed upon a pad having notches in its border.